


America's Not Ready

by JustGalactic



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Multi, deceit tw, look. Idk what this is either.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-05-26
Packaged: 2019-05-14 05:58:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14763938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JustGalactic/pseuds/JustGalactic
Summary: Virgil Sanders. A contestant on the Bachelorette, but something never felt quite right. He gets invited to be a historic bachelor, and drama ensues, as always. Can I steal you away for this short, wild ride of a fic?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've never watched a single episode of that tv show but I've been listening to rose buddies nonstop for weeks so?? I think it counts?? Don't @ me if i got something wrong lmao.

Virgil had never been a romantic. He'd also never wanted to be in the spotlight. Still, week after week, his face had been broadcasted on television screens across America. Maybe applying for The Bachelorette had been a way to prove to his friends, his parents, his siblings, and himself, that he wasn't the person they thought he was.

Virgil hadn't really expected to be accepted onto the show.

Valerie, the stunning bachelorette, had charmed every contestant on the first night. Her smile lit up a room, and Virgil loved hearing her sing. Still, the way the other men talked about her...the things they said...none of it was the way he thought about her.

He fit nicely into the shy, anxious, underdog role, and America loved him. Virgil made it all the way to the final five. The memory of that night was clear in his mind.

If he made it to the final four, he’d take her to his hometown. To meet his family. The thought petrified him. He loved Valerie, how could he not, but he didn't love her in the way he was supposed to.

He tried to ignore the camera crew that barged into his room when he was late for the rose ceremony. He tried to ignore the producers interrogating him as he shoved clothes into his suitcase, as he dragged it down the long staircase, as he ignored the other men and walked up to Valerie.

Without a word, he let go of his suitcase handle and hugged her. Confused, she gingerly hugged him back. Cameras made sure to catch the tears in his eyes.

“I'm…” He cleared his throat. He wiped at his eyes. “Valerie, you're incredible, and…” Virgil turned to the other men. “And so are the four of you, and you really couldn't go wrong with picking one of them. This has been an amazing experience but…” He stared into the camera, knowing he was talking to his parents, his family, his friends. “I have to go.”

The cameras followed his limo as it left property and Virgil was driven off into the sunset.

When the episode came out, he watched his fans crying for him, lamenting his loss on Twitter. His follower count skyrocketed.

And then came Men Tell All. A famously dramatic episode of the show, every contestant would be invited back to give their opinions and rehash their drama of the season.

Virgil was put onstage, and of course, Chris Harrison's first question was incredibly unsurprising.

“Why did you leave? You were so close to winning.”

“It didn't feel right. I felt like I was lying,” Virgil said. He had two words, and his brain just wanted to scream them at the cameras, at the producers, at the viewers. Virgil swallowed the lump in his throat. “I have something to say, actually.” Every camera was focused on him, nobody wanting to miss what was bound to be a dramatic reveal. “America…I need to tell you...I’m…” He took a deep breath. A few of the men he'd been friends with gave him encouraging smiles. “I'm gay.”

It was historic. The producers were jumping for joy at the ratings this would bring. Virgil was terrified when the episode aired. He watched it in real time. He watched himself say those words. He watched his followers send him encouragement, praise, support...his phone chimed.

Petrified, Virgil picked it up.

“Dad: I apologize if I havn’t been very supportive in the past.”

A second chime.

“Mom: I'm so proud of you.”

And that was it. He'd come out on national television, he'd gained thousands of fans, and that was sure to be the end.

A week later, he got an email.

“Hello, Virgil Sanders. Would you like to be the next Bachelor?”


	2. Chapter 2

America’s first gay Bachelor. Virgil knew that most of his identity on the show would boil down to his sexuality, but nevertheless, he accepted. He wanted to be the gay public figure he'd needed as a kid.

The show was intense, even more so as the star. There was drama, he fell in love...and then it was over.

Virgil sat on his couch, curled into his fiance’s lap. He clicked play on the remote, and the show he'd made sure to DVR began to play.

“Up next,” Chris Harrison's voice told them. “We have the beginning of a historic season of television. Don't miss Virgil Sanders; America’s first gay Bachelor.” Virgil's fiance kissed Virgil’s head.

“I'm so glad I did this show,” he mused.

“I am too,” Virgil smiled. “But shh, I want to watch this awful season of television.” They both laughed as the first episode played, and memories came rushing to their heads.

The limo exits had been terrifyingly exhilarating. Virgil and his fiance made sure to call out their favorites.

There was the first, a man who rode in on a white steed, carrying a bouquet of roses. He dramatically bowed and presented them to Virgil.

“I hope you'll return the favor,” he said as Virgil took the flowers. “The name’s Roman.” With that, he winked and went into the mansion.

The second was Thomas, a man who Virgil had loved, but only as a friend. He hadn't made it far on the show, but they still kept in touch. Virgil grinned at his friend’s clumsy and awkward introduction.

“Hi, uh, I'm Thomas, and I'm gay, well, duh, and...I can't wait to get to know you!”

Then, a man wearing sunglasses carrying two Starbucks drinks walked up, and handed one to Virgil.

“Here you go, enjoy.” He walked away, sipping on his drink, without even giving his name. Virgil stared at the cup in his hand, and where his name should've been were the words “My Bachelor” and then a heart. He had to say, he didn't mind that. The coffee was perfect.

The limo pulled up, and this time, a man in a suit walked out, carrying a paper and a calculator. He handed both to Virgil. In a tone that was simultaneously anxious and monotone, he said,

“I’m Logan, and I'm sorry, but I didn't have time to finish this equation, could you put this into the calculator for me?” A bit confused, Virgil did as asked, and then Logan hit the ‘graph’ button. On the small screen, a rainbow heart with the word “Virgil” in the center appeared. From that moment on, he was America’s favorite nerd.

The next was a man with a guitar slung around his shoulders. “I'm Jamahl,” he said, before singing a quick, original song for Virgil. There was another man who sang, and his name was Terrence. Of course, the producers had tried to create tension between the two men, but they had already become friends almost instantly, and Virgil couldn't help but laugh at their futile attempts to get the two to feud.

Both Virgil and his fiance winced at the next man who walked on screen. A yellow suit and bowler hat, they knew who it was immediately. He walked confidently up to Virgil and hissed in his ear.

“I'm Deceit. You’re going to fall in love with me.” With that, he marched proudly into the house.

The next two were more men that Virgil had liked, and that he still kept in touch with. Taylor, the goofy oddball of the season, walked up and immediately made Virgil laugh. Leo, the sweetheart, walked up and gave him a bouquet of purple home-grown flowers.

“I heard that purple was your favorite color.”

And then, there was Patton, who bounded up to Virgil like an overexcited puppy.

“I baked you cookies! I hope you like them! I put extra sugar in, but they could never be as sweet as you!”

Of course, there were other contestants, but it was clear from the start that these were the men who would make it the farthest. Virgil remembered an off-camera conversation he'd had with a producer on the first night.

“Please. I want him off the show. He's already making me uncomfortable, and some of the contestants are saying-”

“Virgil. Deceit’s gonna bring drama. I can feel it. You've got to keep him on. You don't have to marry him but...you cannot kick him off.”

Knowing that he couldn't disobey the producers, Virgil kept him around. Every week, he got a rose. Virgil was sad to watch men go, men he wanted to get to know better, but had to eliminate because of what the producers wanted.

They weren't wrong, though. Every episode held some new drama with Deceit, and Virgil hated watching it. He loved the other parts of it though.

He watched the rose ceremony where Thomas was eliminated, and he started to cry.

“Listen, I don't feel that way about you, but you've become one of my closest friends. Promise me you'll stay in touch.”

He smiled when they aired a conversation he'd had early on with Logan, a conversation that he wasn't sure would ever make it past the editing room, simply because of the amount of self-awareness it showed.

“What roles do you think everyone is?” Logan asked one night, while they were on a date together. Virgil just cocked his head in confusion. “You know, the classic bachelor roles. Deceit’s obviously the villain, what's everybody else?” Virgil started to think.

“Roman’s the dramatic romantic,” he laughed. “And Patton’s just the sweet, soft one.”

“Terrence and Jamahl are the musicians,” Logan pointed out.

“Leo is the quiet, nice one,” Virgil smiled. “And Tayor’s the goofball.”

“Remy’s the wildcard,” Logan said, starting to blush when Virgil laughed. Then, his face turning more serious, Virgil looked up at Logan.

“What are you?”

“Hopefully, the winner.”

That's how it was with Logan. He was sometimes unexpectedly smooth, and he somehow always knew what to say. God, Virgil could spend the rest of his life with him.

They were down to the top nine, and Deceit had still stayed. Of course there was drama, the man himself exuded pure chaos. He went to Virgil, hissing lies about how the other contestants secretly hated him. Of course, Virgil tried his best not to believe it, but it was awful having to endure it night after night.

Still, Deceit’s drama only served to make the other contestants look better, especially Patton.

Deceit was never one for compliments. After a particularly painful solo date with him, Virgil went up to his room to just cry. Then, there was a knock at his door. He opened it to see Patton, followed by an entire camera crew. Quickly, Virgil tried to wipe away his tears.

“Ignore them,” Patton said, gesturing to the cameras surrounding them. “What's the matter?” Slowly, Virgil poured out all his struggles with Deceit. The scene went through heavy editing of course, as the producers didn't want too many of Virgil's real feelings about Deceit being revealed. Still, the episode only served to make Virgil, and America, fall even harder for Patton.

God, Virgil could spend the rest of his life with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Deceit's giving me some distinctly Chad vibes, ya feel?


	3. Chapter 3

They were down to the final four, and it was three men Virgil was head over heels for, and a fourth that he wanted to get rid of so badly. When he told the producers that he couldn't stand being around Deceit anymore, they begrudgingly told him that, because it was so late in the show, he could get rid of Deceit.

At the rose ceremony, Virgil breathed an audible sigh of relief when he left Deceit without a rose. Deceit, however, wasn't going to take it lying down.

“You're a piece of shit! You're losing the best thing that's ever happened to you! You'll regret this!” Then he started to run towards Virgil, fists flying. Quickly, Roman grabbed his wrists and held him back.

“Shut up dude. Just shut up. Virgil is the best thing that's ever happened to us, and you can't act like fucking up his show with lies and bullshit drama has made him fall for you in any way. Get lost.”

That scene alone pushed Roman to be a clear front runner.

God, Virgil could spend the rest of his life with him.

Top three was when the fantasy suites occurred. Should he and the contestant choose to forgo their individual rooms, they'd get to spend the night together in the Fantasy Suite. The concept was nerve wracking to say the least.

And, without revealing too much, Virgil confessed to the camera that all three contestants had made their nights amazing.

And then, he had to eliminate one. He'd had to eliminate people he'd liked before, but this was different. Chris Harrison sat him down and talked to him about the three contestants, using the interview as a way to pad the runtime of the show now that Deceit’s drama was gone.

“So, any idea who's going to be your top two?”

“Really...no. I'm falling for all three of them, Chris,” Virgil confessed.

“Well, you've got to make your decision now-”

“People can be in love with more than one person, you know,” Virgil muttered petulantly. Chris laughed.

“Who cares if I agree, our audience isn't ready to fathom that! They're barely ready to fathom a gay bachelor! You have to eliminate one.”

“I can't choose,” Virgil said.

“I’ll make it easy,” Chris said, wanting to advance the show. “Get rid of Logan.” The thought tore a hole in Virgil’s heart.

“Why?”

“The other two make for better TV. Since you won't choose, I'm choosing for you. Get rid of Logan.”

Of course, the latter half of the interview wasn't aired. But Virgil still remembered it clear as day, and he almost felt guilty, sitting in his fiance’s lap, when he had been in love with two other men.

That night, at the rose ceremony, Virgil couldn't look Logan in the eye.

“Logan, I'm-”

“I understand.” Logan gave an empty smile. “Best of luck gentlemen.” There were even tears pricking at Roman and Patton’s eyes, as they'd become close in their time on the show.

The final two. Virgil was going to propose to one of these men. The thought made a pit form in his stomach.

“Can you not decide, again?” A producer asked.

“No, I'm sorry, I just don't understand why-”

“Fine. I'll tell you who you're choosing.”

“But-”

“We need an ending to this show, damnit. A lack of a proposal is a disappointing ending at best, and the worst ending to a season ever at worst. So, I'm telling you who your husband will be.”

Virgil and his fiance watched the finale. During the finale, both final contestants step out of their limos at separate times to greet the bachelor, who proposes to only one of them. It's common knowledge that the person who steps out of the first limo that shows up to greet him is the loser of the show.

A knot formed in Virgil's throat. It was hard to watch as the camera panned up the man's body.

Two nice, black shoes. Dress pants. A nice suit. And...a puppy themed bow tie. Patton walked up to Virgil.

“Virgil, from the first time I met you-”

“Patton.” Virgil stopped him. Patton's excitement disappeared as he slowly realized what was happening. “I don't want to make this any harder than it has to be. I...I'm sorry. You're incredible, and amazing, and-”

“It's okay,” Patton said, wrapping him in a hug. When he pulled away, both men were crying. “Have fun with Roman.” Virgil nodded, watching Patton leave in the limo.

The second limo pulled up, and a man dressed in an extravagantly decorated suit stepped out. Not wanting to dwell on what he'd just had to do, Virgil almost instantaneously dropped to one knee.

Their relationship was fairytale perfect, it had to be. Virgil looked up at Roman on the couch and smiled. His smile was missing any real joy, however, as he thought about Logan and Patton.

_What kind of a husband will I be if I'm still in love with them?_

He didn't know it, but the same thought was echoing inside of Roman's head. The three finalists had become a little more than just friends, but they'd made sure to keep that out of sight of the cameras.

Miles away, someone else was watching the same episode. He still had his roses in a vase. They were browning and starting to wilt, but Patton didn't care.

_I'm sure Roman gives him more than I ever could._

Miles away, another man was thinking the exact same thing as he looked at the equation he'd meticulously planned out for the very first episode.

Not all fairytale endings are perfect. In fact, most are far from it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me? actually finishing a multichapter fic? it's more likely than you think.


End file.
